Buoy.



PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

T. L. WILLSON.

BUOY.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.11,1905. RENEWED NOV. 16, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG.

INVENTOR:

By 14/%/M j15,

WITNESSES: k

n45 mmms PETERS co., WASHINGIGH, o. c.

T. L. WILLSON.

BUOY.

APPLIOATIDN FILED DEGJ]. 1905. RENEWED NOV. 16, 1907.

PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F/G. Z.

No. 875,875. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908. T. L. WILLSON.

BUOY.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.]1,1905. RENEWED NOV. 16, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FIG. 3.

' INVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

TNE NORRIS PETERS cm. wnsmucrom v c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. WILLSON, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES MARINE SIt \'AI/ COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY,NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed December 11, 1905. Serial No. 291.238. RenewedNovember 16. 1907.- Serial No. 402.533.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. ILLsoN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Buoys, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention aims to provide certain improvements in the structure ofa buoy where by it is made of the greatest strength and simplicity andconsequently durability, and whereby it freely sheds water and icewhich, upon buoys of other construction sometimes accumulates to such anextent as to considerably submerge the buoy or capsize it. To this endthe upper portion, preferably the entire upper half is formed of asingle plate of spheroidal shape to freely shed water and ice, theentire flotation chamber being composed substantially of two pieces, theupper plate referred to and a similar lower plate, each of the platesbeing pressed into a dished or hemispheroidal shape. These two platesare united at their circumferences to each other, preferably along ahorizontal plane, and each is connected to a vertical portion,preferably a tube passing through the center of the flotation chamber.This central portion preferably extends below the flotation chamber andis provided with a weight at its lower end for holding the buoy upright.The tubular form of the central member contributes'considerable lateralstillness.

The simplicity and strength of the construction enable the buoy toresist the severe blows and strains which it receives and make it of thegreatest value in buoys of extremely large sizes such, for example, aslarge signaling buoys carrying bells, lanterns or horns or othersignaling devices. Preferably also the flotation chamber is stiffened bya member extending around the circumferential joint between the twoplates, forming a complete circle and preferably on the outside, thusconstituting also a fender for saving the buoy from injury by floatingships, wreckage, or the like.

' Other improvements are referred to in detail hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 isa vertical section of part of another buoy.

Referring to the embodiments of the i11 vention illustrated, theflotation chamber or air chamber A is formed of an upper plate B and alower plate C. These plates are stamped or drawn out of heavy sheetsteel into the dished or spheroidal form indicated, each beingpreferably a hemispheroid as shown, and each having a central openingsurrounded by a flange 1) prefcrably extending outward to facilitateconnection with the vertical member. The vertical tubular member Epasses through the chamber and extends considerably bclow the lower endthereof, carrying at ,its own lower end a weight I This tube isconnected to the flanges 1) preferably by means of rivets. Thecircumferential edges of the plates B and C are faced to make a goodjoint and are held together by the riveting or otherwise fastening ofthe plates to the base (.l of a stiffening member which runs cntirclyaround the flotation chamber. This member is preferably formed of arailroad rail with a web If to give it depth and a head J to receivedirectly the blows to which the buoy is subjected. Preferably a singlerail is used with one joint, which may be made by means of ordinaryrailway fish plates K. When a floating objcct is encountered, it strikesthe head of the rail, and the pressure is dissipated throughout theentire still ring which the rail constitutes, and is transmitted over aconsiderable area of the flotation chamber and thus lessens the chanceof injuring the latter.

The spheroidal flotation chamber may be used imlependcntly of thecentral stiffening member and likewise, this member may be considerablyvaried in construction, though preferably of the tubular form shown andarranged vertically and centrally. One or more of these featuresmay beomitted without sacrilicing all the advantages of the invention.

The member or members connecting the inner portions of the oppositespheroidal plates are not necessarily in the center. Any desired numberof such connecting members may be used. For example in Fig. 3 there areshown besides the central member E, two additional members .IJ whichserve to assist the central member E in strengthening the structure, thecentral member serving as a gas chamber and the additional members ascompressor tubes for compressing air to operate a whistle or horn, inthe manner explained more fully in my application No. 273,443, filedAugust 9, 1905, in which the arrangement of these tubes is claimedbroadly. In the present application only such features are claimed inconnection with these tubes as present modifications of the arrangementdescribed in said prior application.

The lower ends of the tubes L may be braced by a short vertical tube Mcarrying bell-ringing mechanism, all as described, in the aforesaidapplication. the application of these tubes to the spheroidal flotationchamber A materially assists the central tube in providing the desiredstiffness. T he construction is simplified in comparison with thatprevously proposed by connecting the ends of the air pipes N directly b0the upper member B of the flotation chamber, preferably through athimble 0 applied to the top of the member B, thus doing away with anyinternal diaphragm in the compressor tubes. The upper plate B forms theclosure or upper wall of the air compression space in the top of thetube L. The tubes L are applied to the upper member B of the flotationchamber by means of inward flanges P on the ends of the tubes. They areconnected to the lower member C by means of downward flanges Q similarto the flange D surrounding the central tube.

Though I have described with great particularity in detail a certainspecific embodiment of my invention, yet it is not to be understoodtherefrom that the invention is limited to the particular embodimentdisclosed. Various modifications thereof in d ctail and in thearrangement and combination of the parts may be made by those skilled inthe art without departure from the invention.

That I claim is: y

1. A buoy formed substantially of three parts, an axial tubular portionadapted to constitute a gas chamber, and two hemispheroidal platesunited circumferentially to each other and each connected to said axialportion and braced thereby.

2. A buoy formed substantially of three parts, two hemispheroidal platesunited circumferentially to each other, and an axial tubular portionpassing through and outside of both said plates and connected to andbracing said plates.

3. A buoy formed substantially of three parts, an axial tubular portion,and two hemispheroidal plates united circumferentially to each other andeach having an opening surrounded by a flange connected to said axialportion.

4. A buoy formed substantially of three parts, an axial tubular centralportion E, and two hemispheroidal plates B and C unitedcircumferentially to each other and each connected to said axial portionand braced thereby, saidaxial portion being extended below the lowerplate, and a weight upon the lower end of the axial portion.

5. A substantially three-part buoy comprising in combination an axialtubular portion E, two hemispheroidal plates B and C each connected tosaid axial portion and braced thereby, and a stiffening member extendingaround the line of juncture of said plates and connected to each of saidplates separately to hold them together and to brace them.

6. A substantially threepart buoy comprising in combination an axialtubular portion E, two hemispheroidal plates B and (.7 each connected tosaid axial portion and braced thereby, and a stiffening member extendingaround the line of juncture of said plates and connected to each of saidplates separately to hold them together and to brace them, saidstiflening member comprising a rail with a base G fastened to saidplates, a web H, and a head J.

7. A buoy having a flotation chamber formed of hemispheroidal platesunited circumferentially to each other edge to edge, and a stiffeningmember extending around the line of juncture of said plates, connectingand bracing them.

8. A buoy formed with two hemispheroidal plates united circumferentiallyto each other, an axial member connected to said plates and bracing thesame, and additional members connecting said plates to each other.

9. A buoy having an air compressor tube connected at its upper end tothe top plate B of the buoy, and an air pipe N having its end connectedto said plate, whereby the top plateB forms the upper wall of the aircompression space.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS L. WVILLSON.

WVitnesses DOMINGO A. USINA, FRED WHITE.

